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The present invention relates to vessel hull construction, and more particularly to a compartmentalized, integrated hull constructed from tubing, such as PVC tubing.
It is well known that binding two separate rigid surface panels onto opposite sides of a core material provides a structure with superior strength and stiffness, as well as a good strength-to-weight ratio. One example is corrugated cardboard, which uses two pieces of flat cardboard sandwiched around a core of waved or undulated cardboard. The individual pieces of cardboard are thin and weak, but when bonded together in the foregoing arrangement, they form a solid structure that can be used to form boxes and other items having substantial stiffness and rigidity.
Taking advantage of the foregoing principle, the hulls of many ships and boats are made of fiber-resin laminated on opposite sides of a core of foam or end-grain balsa wood. The fiber-resin laminate consists of a fiber reinforcing material and a resin. The most commonly used fiber reinforcing materials are fiberglass, kevlar, and carbon. The most commonly used resins are epoxy, polyester, and vinylester.
As far as the inventor, who has been building boats for several decades, is aware, no efforts have been made to build a hull or other structure using the core material and techniques disclosed herein. The closest prior art of which the inventor is aware is U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,340 (Skogman) for vessels having a double-walled laminated frame. Skogman discloses a vessel wall core consisting of a woven structure. The weft of the woven structure is a plurality of cylindrical members. The cylindrical members are made of polyurethane foam piping, polyethylene foam piping, or minute polyvinyl tubing having an outside diameter of {fraction (3/16)} inch. The warp of the weave consists of fiberglass parallel fibers. The woven structure is enclosed between a pair of outer walls. The cylindrical members are separated by the weave. The woven structure is complex, and would be difficult to employ in boat building. Other prior art patents that may be interest are U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,579 (Heifetz); U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,448 (Dobbs); U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,251 (Moore); U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,002 (Rosenblum); U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,053 (Brogan); U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,577 (Leone); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,782 (Frederick), but none of these patents disclose the barrier construction described in the present application.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vessel hull that has superior strength, is economical to manufacture, is virtually unsinkable due to compartmentalized construction, as well as methods of barrier construction that can be readily and efficiently employed to construct customized boats.
Accordingly, the invention disclosed herein is an integrated, compartmentalized, water impermeable hull for a water vessel such as a boat that is constructed of a plurality of lengthwise tubes, such as PVC, ABS, or plastic tubes. The plurality of lengthwise tubes are arranged in a generally parallel relation to one another such that an outer surface of each tube abuts an outer surface of at least one other of the tubes. The tubes are sandwiched between a first inner support layer and a second inner support layer. Each inner support layer undulates along and fixedly adheres to the tubes to thereby hold the tubes in a fixed relation to one another. The undulations preferably form an angle of between about 120 degrees and about 150 degrees relative to one another. A first outer support layer is positioned over the first inner support layer, and is fixed to a plurality of peaks of the first inner support layer to thereby reinforce the first inner support layer. A second outer support layer is positioned over the second inner support layer, and is fixed to a plurality of peaks of the second inner support layer to thereby reinforce the second inner support layer. Together, the tubes, the first and second inner support layers, and the first and second outer support layers are configured to form the integrated, compartmentalized, water impermeable hull.
Individual barriers having the foregoing construction can be used for various structural purposes, such as vessel sidewalls, bulkheads, walls, and decks. The individual barriers can be joined together to form a vessel.
In order to provide economical construction, the tubes and fiber resin preferably consist of readily available components. The tubes are preferably PVC or ABS tubes. The first and the second inner support layers and the first and the second outer support layers consist of a fiber-resin laminate. The fiber component of the fiber-resin laminate is preferably fiberglass, kevlar, or carbon. The resin component of the fiber-resin laminate is preferably epoxy, polyester, or vinylester. In order to provide for the construction of large boats using conventionally available lengths of tubing, the invention discloses methods for joining tubes end-to-end to thereby form a lengthened barrier.
The invention includes several features for enhancing the buoyancy and safety of the hull in the event of a puncture. The open ends of the tubes can be sealed with polyurethane foam, such that each tube forms an individualized compartment. In order to compartmentalize tubes that have been joined end-to-end, the invention includes a baffle member that can be readily inserted into the juncture between end-to-end connections of tubes. By providing compartments within lengthened tubes, the invention provides for increased buoyancy and safety of the hull in the event of a puncture of the hull.
The tubular construction provides other benefits besides strength, economy and buoyancy. The tubes can be used to run water, wiring, air conditioning, and the like. The tubes can also be used for tankage and for balast. Methods of fabricating the foregoing structures are disclosed.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.